Losing My Religion
by Sparklenfadeaway
Summary: Their love story began as children and through the twists and turns growing up, they made it. However, Niklaus now has to sit back and see if his wife, Caroline, can fight for their life one more time. No god could be so cruel as to take away his light, could they? AU/all humans...


**Disclaimer: This is the first time I've tried to write a story based on characters from a show. Yes I know I am making them human, but I want to stay close to the shows premise as possible and throw in my own things as I go. I only take credit for my ideas, I'm sure you'll pick out my original characters I'm throwing in there as well. Let me know what you think.**

**Prologue**

"_I hate you Niklaus Mikaelson. This is your fault that it hurts." _

"_Don't worry honey. They all say that, not a single one ever means it." The nurse tried to comfort the now distraught husband and father-to-be._

"_No, no. I mean it. I hate you for this. One child wasn't enough; no you had to get me pregnant again."Nik hated seeing his wife in pain. He knew she didn't really hate him, but much like the first time he watched her give birth to their son, Nathaniel, he wished he could take all the pain away._

"_I love you, Sweetheart. A few more pushes and it'll all be worth it when you see our baby's face." _

"_Oh, you better love me you big jerk. See if I let you talk me into having any more kids." She finished right before letting out another scream and pushing through the contraction. Nik wanted to laugh at her but knew that wasn't a good idea, so he bit back a smile before she noticed. The truth was she wanted more kids as much as he did. Neither one of them wanted Nate to be an only child, he because he knew what it was like to have siblings, and she because she understood what it was like growing up an only child. Neither thought they would get pregnant as fast as they had, but it didn't bother him one bit. If someone would have told him ten years ago he would end up married to her and that he would love her as much as he did, he would have laughed in their face and asked what kind of drugs they were taking. _

_They were complete opposites. She was a princess, he was the rich bad boy without a care. He knew he was good looking and that women fell all over themselves to get to him not only because of his looks but also his money. They all thought they could be the one to save the lonely millionaire artist and live with him happily ever after. Caroline had always been beautiful both inside and out. Somehow through all their differences they seemed to balance each other out. She managed to make him believe in all the good things in life and he in turn lifted her up to achieve her dreams. He believed in her when she needed him the most and she brought him sunshine when the whole world had turned gray on him._

"_Mr. Mikaelson, meet your new daughter." The doctor told him. Nik was happy, Nate would have someone to protect. They had opted to not know what they were having this time and he wasn't the least bit disappointed. They placed the baby on Caroline's chest and Nik laughed and kissed both his wife and daughter._

"_Ok Caroline, let's get this one cleaned up and finish up with you." Nik walked over to watch as they cleaned their daughter and weighed and measured her. He knew all that was left for Caroline was to make sure the placenta was delivered and her uterus contracted to normal size again._

"_Doctor, her vitals are changing."_

"_What's going on?" Nik asked turning around._

"_We need to hurry, nurse get him out of here. She's losing blood and fast." The doctor yelled. Immediately Nik was escorted from the room and told to wait out in the hallways with his family. _

"Please let everything be okay. I can't lose Caroline and the kids need her." Niklaus cried in the hallway of Mystic Falls Memorial Hospital. "What the hell is taking so long?" He screamed jumping up from the hospital chair and punching the wall.

Elijah stared at his brother who was now pacing and pleading with God. There was nothing he could say to make things easier for him. This was one of those times where it was better to not say anything then to make promises that may not come to pass. He wanted to protect Niklaus from everything evil in the world, but sadly that had always been Nik's role. Nik was younger by a few years but his role in life placed him as both the protector and gentle soul. It wasn't easy to be the older brother to an artist who was also through no fault of his own, a product of an affair and therefore treated as such by their father Mikael. Elijah was brains and sophistication to Nik's street smarts and toughness. Aside from Rebekah and Kol, they felt they were facing the world alone most times. Their parents Ester and Mikael were around but Mikael was focused on making sure his business would survive the international transition. Ester spent all her time trying to forget the bad things that had happened drowning herself in a bottle behind closed doors after they lost Henrik, the youngest of the Mikaelsons', in a horrible car accident prompting their move from London to the quiet country sides of Mystic Falls.

Elijah was the first to marry just last year. He and Katherine had somehow managed to beat Nik and Caroline to the altar. How, he wasn't sure. Niklaus had lost his heart to the blonde as a child. He fought it left and right, believing he wasn't good enough for her, but no matter how much he tried to stay away he kept turning right back around. He would never forget the first day Nik laid eyes on Caroline. He was looking out the window of the car having beat Rebekah out of school and caught a glimpse of the then 6-year-old Caroline Forbes with big blue eyes and blonde pigtails running out of the side door towards to cars. Nik swears to this day that he firmly believed all girls had cooties until he was in high school, but Nik always had a fixation on girls with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Mikael Mikaelson and Giuseppe Salvatore had been work acquaintances for years. It was at Giuseppe's urging that the Mikaelsons moved to Mystic Falls and start over there. Maria Salvatore and Elizabeth Forbes were friends who grew up together along with Miranda Gilbert. All of their children by default were friends and therefore when Elijah, Niklaus, Kol and Rebekah were brought to the annual Labor Day BBQ, they were each welcomed into the circle that fast became their second family. The Salvatore's, Damon and Stefen were Elijah and Niks age. Elena and Caroline quickly welcomed Rebekah into their circle along with another friend Bonnie Bennett and Kol ended up causing all the trouble with Jeremy Gilbert.

Each of the families had their own secrets. The Gilberts, Forbes and Salvatores were founding families of the county. Elizabeth Forbes, who is now the Sheriff, was then just a rookie cop whose husband left her for another man. Miranda Gilbert had an affair with her husband Grayson's brother John and Elena was the product. Something no one knew about until years later when Miranda and Grayson were killed in a terrible car accident. No one knew what the Salvatores were hiding but were sure there was something. Nik's paternity was never an issue until the Salvatores started to notice the bruises on him from Mikael. Nik was convinced that because he Mikael didn't love him that no one would. It was the very thing that kept him from marrying Caroline the minute she turned 18, because Elijah knew Nik would have done just that had he thought he deserved her. Nik would say he lost his heart when he was 19 and Caroline was over the house taking photos for prom with her then boyfriend Tyler, but they all knew he lost his heart long before that. Caroline might not have known until they were married, but the memories were bittersweet to him with Caroline fighting for her life. To think Nik might have gone his entire life without telling her how he felt if it wasn't for that one summer. He smiled thinking about it now.

"Lijah what's taking so long? I'm not going to lose her right? I can't lose her. I need her too damn much. She's the other half of me." Nik broke his train of thought.

"I don't know what's going to happen. All we can do is sit here and pray. Things will turn out however they are supposed to. We know she's a fighter. She won't give up easily."

"Elijah, have they said anything?" Katherine asked coming back from the cafeteria after getting another cup of coffee for herself and her husband.

"No. They haven't come out yet. It's driving Nik crazy, things have to be okay. They were so excited to have another child."

Caroline and Niklaus had been married for about 5 years now. Their first child, Nathaniel, was born 7 months after their wedding. They thought waiting and planning a second pregnancy would be the better option this time since Caroline had a hard time with the first one.

"Things will be okay. No matter what happens, we're all here for you and the kids." Katherine tried to sooth even though he didn't hear her words.

"They kicked me out. Charlotte was fine, they were weighing and measuring her and then the next thing I know they tell me I have to go because Care was fading and they had to get to her fast. She was bleeding too much and they couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop it. How do I tell two children that I'm supposed to protect from the world that I couldn't protect their mother? That I couldn't save her? Nate already thinks I'm like a super hero and here I am letting them down and they won't even understand it." Katherine sighed along with the rest of the group sitting in the hallway. Elena, Bonnie, Bekah, Kol, Damon and Stefen all felt his pain.

The self loathing was a part of Nik. He thought everything was his fault and that he and he alone had to take on the world. That was Mikael's gift to him. Nik took the punishments and beatings for each of his siblings because he felt it was only fair that he take them for the younger ones because he was stronger and less bothered by them. Elijah never knew he took the blame for him as well until well after Nik had been beaten.

Liz Forbes watched as Nik paced, pleaded and mutter out half sentences and felt bad for her son-in-law. She was by no means ready to bury her daughter, but Nik would be the one left to not only bury his wife but raise their children without Caroline. He was a good man. It was touch and go there for the longest time for her daughter and husband. Nik was darker soul then she wanted her little girl to marry, but there was no one in the world who loved her more. Sometimes she felt like even her love for her daughter was nothing compared to Niks. Each person in the hallway, friends and family alike that were gathered kept their hands clenched and prayed. There was nothing they could do now, it was all out of their hands, and Liz just hoped that her daughter had it in her to fight for Nik and their children one more time.


End file.
